


A New Dawn

by wingsofthenight



Series: A New Dawn [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Elia Fests, Elia Martell Deserves Better, Elia Martell Fanworks Week, Elia Martell Lives, Gen, Poison, Queen Elia Martell, Rhaegar Targaryen Bashing, because oberyn is not the only martell that can use it, elia is his sister after all, this is kind of self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26776879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsofthenight/pseuds/wingsofthenight
Summary: Elia has a nightmare- a nightmare she believes is a sign from the gods about what is to come. She plans accordingly, for her children will not suffer under the hands of madmen.
Series: A New Dawn [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2041693
Comments: 44
Kudos: 154
Collections: Southern Renaissance (Dorne Renaissance)





	A New Dawn

Elia wished that it had not come to this.

When she had first married Rhaegar, she had been full of hope that even if love never bloomed between them they would at least form a true partnership, to become a ruling couple as beloved as Daeron II and Myriah Martell.

That hope had died at Harrenhall, on the day all the smiles died.

Choosing to crown a girl who is not even of age over his own wife? To be such a fool as to crown the betrothed of his own cousin, the only daughter of a Lord Paramount? To signal his wish to make said girl his mistress?

And then, when she almost died to birth Aegon, the child that he had insisted he bear when she did even though she had needed more time to recover after Rhaenys, he turned and told her that there must be a third.

A third that, according to the maester that she was certain was in Tywin Lannister’s pockets, she would be unable to give him, even though she knew that one could not tell for certain so soon after a birth. A maester had tried to tell her own mother that she would never bear another child after Olyvar, the brother she would never know, and yet Princess Loreza had gone on to have both her and Oberyn within the next four years.

Even despite that, she had still prayed that he would wait until she had healed and she could ask her brothers to send some midwives to check, but no longer would she risk that after the nightmare she had.

A nightmare that showed her children dying long before their time, showed her brothers slowly losing it in their grief, showed her family be _broken._

All because of a man who was obsessed with bringing the “Conquerors” back to life.

Elia had woken up screaming from that nightmare, but thankfully her uncle had been on guard and had rushed in to try and calm her.

Her uncle Lewyn, the man who had willingly joined an order of so-called _knights_ to protect her despite not believing in said order.

Her uncle who would die fighting on the orders of a madman that held her hostage.

Once she had sobbed out her grief at that possible future, she quietly told her uncle some of what she had seen and asked him to bring her some herbs.

Herbs that had many practical properties that she had learned from both her beloved father and her little brother, for she did not know what deity sent her that nightmare, but she would not be foolish enough to discard it.

Two days later, she realized that she had made the right choice.

Rhaegar had come to her that evening, telling her that he had to go on a trip to take care of something. He would take Dayne and Whent with him, but her uncle would be here with her.

He spoke of that as if he was doing her a favor, as if he didn’t fully realize that Prince Lewyn would always be loyal to her over him and would never condone what he was about to do to her and her children.

He told her that he would be back soon, and once he was their family would usher in a new era of prosperity, that she must trust him.

Elia had sweetly smiled at him and poured them two glasses- him a glass of Arbor Gold, and her a glass of simple cider for wine did not sit well with her while she was nursing- before toasting to the future of House Targaryen and wishing him well on his journey.

The next morning was the last time she would ever see her husband alive, for but a sennight later he would suddenly die from a heart attack on the border between the Crownslands and the Riverlands. No one could say why he was there, and after Aerys had gotten to the two disloyal Kingsguards they were unable to breathe so much as a single word.

(Part of her mourned Arthur, the boy she had spent time with in the Water Gardens. But that boy was dead- had been dead since the moment he chose Rhaegar over her.)

King Aerys called her to King’s Landing a little over a moon after the day Rhaegar left, ordering her to bring her children with her.

Elia did so, and they arrived in King’s Landing as the sun was setting. She made certain that the common people and those sent to greet her saw her wearing mourning black.

(She was in fact in mourning. She mourned that the life she wished for would never be, that she had been forced to take her children’s fates into her own hands. Despite refusing to regret these actions, she would always be haunted by the “what if.”)

King Scab had already retired by the time her party had arrived in the Red Keep, leaving them to settle into their rooms in peace.

Or, for Elia herself, a chance to take this perfect opportunity to accomplish the other part of her goal.

Her beloved younger brother had arrived on Dragonstone but two days after her former husband left. Oberyn had been just as furious as she was when she told him of what her nightmare had showed, but had been placated by the knowledge that the man that would have been responsible for that fate only lived so long as the Stranger was otherwise occupied.

He had also been equally as placated by her asking for a poison that could be applied onto a surface that often drew blood before she asked him to return to Dorne to tell their older brother of what her plans were.

A poison that she carefully spread on one of the swords lining the Iron Throne after creeping into the throne room through some seldom used passages in the dead of night.

The next morning, word reached her that Aerys had cut his arm on the throne and bled out before anyone could save him.

With his death, that left her own infant son as King Aegon VI.

Not even two hours after her former goodfather’s death, with full support from Queen Dowager Rhaella, Elia herself climbed the Iron Throne to rule as Queen Regent for the next sixteen years.

Outwardly her face was impassive, only showing slight grief that things had come to this.

Inwardly however, she was smiling in triumph.

Her children would not be deprived of their birthright, and she would not allow madmen to throw the realm into chaos.

She was a daughter of House Martell, and would never forget their words.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're curious about how Rhaegar died, Elia gave him a poison that takes a little while to activate but that will give someone a heart attack if you do not get an antidote. Aerys was killed using a poison that causes extreme bleeding. (Ironically, if Aerys had actually taken care of himself, they might have been able to stop it.)  
> Does anyone suspect Elia did it? Maybe. Is there any sort of proof that could ever be tied back to her that they could use against her? Absolutely not.
> 
> If you're curious about the future:  
> -Elia declares Doran Hand of the King. The rest of the Small Council she fills with politically sound choices, but this position she refuses to fill with anyone that she doesn't fully trust, and her older brother is just that.  
> -Oberyn ends up ruling over Dorne as a regent during Doran's absences as Hand of the King. It actually goes very well, though he's happy when Doran comes back permanently/Arianne comes of age/whatever comes first. Elia probably tricks him into marrying a legitimized Ellaria at some point.  
> -Elia dissolves the Kingsguard, forming a Royal Guard instead, a guard specifically meant to protect all of the royal family. Lewyn stays in it, but he is able to bring his paramour to publicly stay with him.  
> -Lyanna marries Robert. Once they actually start communicating with each other (which granted takes too long), their marriage is surprisingly stable.  
> -Jaime was released from the Kingsguard. Tywin was happy about that at least, though he never got on the Small Council again, nor did Cersei get a royal match.  
> -Rhaella lives to be 93 years old and just generally lives her best life in freedom and dies happily surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  
> -Elia overhauls Westeros during her time as regent. One of the things she is most proud of is making King's Landing not stink.  
> -When Aegon fully takes the throne and rules over a golden age, Elia retires to Dorne, but she still regularly makes trips to see her children.


End file.
